Who's Lying Now?

The White House says that Senator John Kyl was lying when he said the president told him that he couldn't secure the border without getting amnesty in exchange.

SEN. JON KYL, R-ARIZ.: Here is what the president said. The problem is, he said, if we secure the border, then you all won't have any reason to support comprehensive immigration reform. In other words, they're holding it hostage.
BILL BURTON: No, the president didn't say that. Senator Kyl knows that the president didn't say that. What everybody knows because the president has made it perfectly clear is that what we need to do is everything that we can to bring about comprehensive immigration reform.

Which is really what Kyl is saying, isn't it. Well, as it turns out, this is one of those few issues where the president has a position going back to early in his political career - 2004.

As usual, the president isn't telling the truth. Charles Krauthammer observes:

But the underlying argument that the Obama administration, like the left of the Democratic Party, is holding out on enforcement as a chip with which it will purchase amnesty is true. There is no doubt that -- the whole idea of comprehensive is a way of saying unless you give us what we want, amnesty or a path to citizenship, we will hold back on enforcement because that is the only chip in negotiating with you.